Over the holiday season:

Will extra time commitments keep you from attending as many counseling
session as you normally would?

Will extra time commitments keep you from attending as many
12 step (or other recovery support group) meetings as you normally would?

Will you experience financial stress due to the extra
expenses associated with gift buying, traveling etc.?

Will the hustle and bustle of the holiday season keep you
from exercising as frequently as you normally would?

Will you feel stressed out by the crowds or pressures of the
season?

Are you going to be in more frequent contact with family
members than normal?

Will you get caught up in the general party vibe of the
season?

Will the season provoke difficult family or holiday
memories?

Will you feel extra anxiety as you try to cope with
additional exposure to triggers?

Will you feel frustrated if/when you can’t find as much time
as you need to take care of all of your responsibilities during the holiday
season?

Will New Year’s Eve be a difficult day to stay clean and
sober?

Will you have a lot of extra free time over the holiday
period?

Scoring

If you answered yes to 1 to 3 questions, the holidays cause
a small increased risk of relapse.

If you answered yes to between 4 and 6 questions, you have a
moderately elevated risk of relapse. You should prepare yourself for the extra
stress of the season and be prepared to meet the challenges to your recovery
that you may face.

If you answered yes to 7 or more questions, the holidays
present a serious risk to your recovery. Plan to make full use of any and all
relapse prevention methods you’ve learned to get through this difficult period.

Don’t Get Blindsided

OK, so you probably can’t run and hide from all the stress
and temptation of the festive season, but at least you know when and how
temptation and stress are going to hit you.

You can’t escape, but you can prepare, and if prepared and
committed, you’ll make it through just fine.

Some basic facts about relapse, why a slip never needs to mean the end of a recovery or that treatment has failed, what to do if you slip (right away) and how to reduce your odds of relapse in the first place. Read Article